cucullus

Thanks, that is so helpful.  I have registered. The Roll Call for the Viking Sky 31 October cruise is entirely focused on excursions so I am not sure how to take this forward on that site in terms of promoting the Meet and Mingle. It would hardly qualify  under “reply to this topic”. Despite advanced years my inexperience in this area is showing!

Hi,

I am not clear how one gets on the guest list for M&M. We have contributed a couple of items to our  roll call, Viking Star 31October. However we had previously contributed to a roll call for an Oceania cruise and we’re unaware of a M&M meeting.

Thanks for checking while you are at sea. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

The suggestion of flip flops for the shower is also helpful. We had not thought of that. Lateral thinking!

Thanks folks, appreciate the rapid replies. I am sure the hand rail will help. As for the hand towel on the shower floor, that is our usual last resort option.

My husband and I are sailing on Viking Star on 31st October this year to Cities of Antiquity and the Holy land. It is our first Viking Ocean cruise. We have booked a veranda cabin.  As my husband has several replaced joints we are always concerned in case he slips in the shower. I would be grateful to get feedback about the walk in shower. Is the floor really non slip or do they provide a non slip shower mat.

Sorry I am so late in replying, probably too late for you but another punter may find it useful. We are just back from a cruise ***** Marina which had 3 days in St Petersburg. My husband is 80 and although mobile cannot walk distances or stand around. We booked a 3 day private tour with GrandPetersburg. This is a smallish company run by Julia. We planned the visit with her in great detail based on our needs and wants. She offers a highly personalised service. The guide Elizabeth was a charming and thoughtful young woman, with perfect English and extensive knowledge. The car and driver Alex were always there for us. We were able to tweak the programme on the day if necessary. All the documentation and pre bought tickets worked perfectly and we paid cash, less than the better known, larger companies, at the end. Julia has been in the travel business for years but now runs her own company. Highly recommended. Cucullus

Thanks for your suggestion We have posted query on our roll call.

Thanks CoolCruiser, that is so helpful. We will be disembarking in Stockholm from the Marina on 9th July. Your comment about staying on the boat as long as possible, something we intended to do, is most interesting. Can you or any others give us more info about disembarkation times - start & finish? We might pre book a cab as queuing for 45 minutes would be very challenging for my husband. Wet Irish weather has left him with extensive

arthritis. Cheers, Patricia

Hi folks, I need the forum to save my skin! I made all the booking for our Baltic cruise starting this Thursday including Oceania included flights Belfast/London/Copenhagen. My husband stepped in today and discovered that transfer to the ship was not included. I was so shocked at my own gullibility. The travel agent has quoted us £100 for transfer which seems really excessive. No doubt an internet search would reveal a cheaper price but do any of you experienced cruisers know of a reliable, good value company which you could recommend?

Secondly as we are staying on in Stockholm at the end of the cruise I knew transfer was not included. Same question as above, can anyone recommend a company to do a ship to hotel transfer there? Experience tells us that just to pick up a cab at the docks adds several digits to the bill.

Thanks again and only joking about my skin!

Patricia

Thank you to much to everyone who helpfully replied so quickly. We feel much better prepared now even though we left it a little late to read the info. Three cheers for the Cruise Critic Boards and contributors.

Derek and Patricia

Hi, we are booked for the Baltic Cruise on Marina June 29. Just read our passenger info today. It says that our passports are taken at embarkation and returned at disembarkation. We have booked a private tour for 3 days in St Petersburg and will clearly need our passports as well as the documentation which the tour company has already forwarded. Presumably there will be no problem in retrieving our passports from the Marina admin? In addition the info says that that our passports are taken on arrival at the dock where on we are given our cards and will be admitted to the ship on producing those cards and photographic ID. We don't routinely have ID cards in Ireland but could bring our senior discount cards or driving licences. Is that really necessary ?

Thanks Derek and Patricia

Thank you again. Reading through CC I am amazed at the interaction and how informative everyone is. I understand that the Hermitage evening programme will be published in April and our private guide can help with arrangements. However still think we might go for the early entry option, hopefully before it gets too hot.

Cheers

Thank you so much. That is really helpful. Considering your reply I think we will take up the suggestion of our lovely private guide and ask her to book early entry one day to the Hermitage. That means we will skip the musical evening.

Cheers

Patricia

My husband and I have not cruised for many years. We booked the Baltic cruise as we reckoned we no longer had time to visit all the ports individually, he is 80 and I am 72. We have booked private tours for St Petersburg, but would really like to do the musical evening at the Hermitage, which is only available through the boat. Two issues. The description of the tour emphasises the walking. We are both fully mobile and can walk well but my husband, who has several replaced joints, finds standing very tiring. We have ascertained that there are chairs and benches in the rooms where my husband could perch if necessary. Any feedback from recent punters?

Secondly we are hoping to use our on board credits to book and pay for this cruise as soon as we board. We are not in a concierge suite so will have manage this ourselves. The tour is expensive so we are very reluctant to book and pay at home, plus we do not want to drink £800 worth of alcohol and we are not interested in shopping, gambling or however else we might spend that amount of money on board. Does anyone know if that tour is likely to be booked out before we board, how we can find out about availability and will be it be easy for us to manage ourselves once on board?

Thank you .I am excited about cruising again after many years, having done so with my parents as a child and being serenaded on the Canberra for my 16th birthday.:)